Rabbi’s Reflections – Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Shalom,
Psalms
Psalm 15:2 – Part 2
Psalm 15:2 The one who walks with integrity, who does what is right, and speaks truth in his heart,
The first Hebrew word of this verse is “Holech,” meaning “walk (around).” It is connected etymologically to the word, “Halacha,” meaning “the way of walking.” How we practice God’s commandments is described in Hebrew as “Halacha.” One who seeks to walk with God must walk as he walked.
1John 2:5 But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God is truly made perfect. We know that we are in Him by this— 6 whoever claims to abide in Him must walk just as He walked.
The verse goes on to describe in three ways (there are more in the succeeding verses) how we walk with God. We begin to break down in detail what it means to walk in God’s ways. The first operative word is “Tamim,” which is translated in the TLV as “integrity.” Other versions use other words such as “blameless, without defect,” or even “perfect.” While it’s first use was to describe Noah as “perfect in his generation,” it is famously commanded to Father Abraham.
Genesis 17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, Adonai appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Continually walk before Me and you will be blameless.”
As Abraham’s seed…
Rabbi Trail: Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham’s seed—heirs according to the promise. It is the seeds that make an heirloom tomato an heirloom tomato. We must be like Noah, “perfect in our generation.” Neither Abraham nor Noah were actually perfect, but in their generation they were. So too with us as well. End RT.
The first Passover Lamb is commanded to be “Tamim,” without blemish. Yeshua was in every way perfect, and our calling is based on His perfection. 2Corinthians 5:21 He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
These last two I’ve got to do quickly today. Do the works of righteousness! God tells us right from wrong. We must not “walk” as if there are 50 shades of gray, but rightly discern white and black, good from evil. Isaiah 5:20 Oy to those who call evil good and good evil, who present darkness as light and light as darkness, who present bitter as sweet, and sweet as bitter!
Then there is the characteristic of “speaking truth in your heart.” Self-talk is a powerful force. Ephesians 4:14b … we are no longer to be like children, tossed around by the waves and blown all over by every wind of teaching, by the trickery of men with cunning in deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all ways into Messiah, who is the Head.
Tomorrow, we’ll go deeper still on how to walk with God. Shalom shalom.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
24 Tamuz Tuesday 30-Jul-24
Numbers 32:1-19 Ezekiel 20 Nehemiah 7 Luke 15 Philippians 4